Waveguide coupling



March 8, 1960 G- CHAMBERLAIN ET AL WAVEGUIDE COUPLING Filed Jan. 6, 1958N D W M N W 2 a w r y l y 6 Y Wm M. l m I 5?9 6N a United States PatentWAVEGUIDE COUPLING George Chamberlain, Hasbrouck Heights, N .J andMorton P. Nashman, New York, N.Y., assignors to International Telephoneand Telegraph Corporation, Nutley, N.J., a corporation of MarylandApplication January 6, 1958, Serial No. 707,215

3 Claims. (Cl. 333-98) This invention relates to waveguides and moreparticularly to a coupling for coupling together two waveguide sections.

In the usual method of coupling waveguides together, the waveguidesections are provided with end flanges having means for receiving thescrews or bolts to draw them together. Another method of couplingwaveguide sections is by providing clamping rings on one section whichare screwed on to a matching threaded portion of the adjacent sectionthereby drawing the two waveguide sections together. These methods ofsecuring waveguide sections together is time consuming since, in thefirst case, it usually requires four or more screws or bolts and thesecond method also requires that these sections be screwed together byhand. Another drawback of these coupling devices is that when thewaveguide sections are subject to shock and vibration, they may becomeoverstressed and so fail, or the sections may separate sufficiently atthe coupling and so break the electrical connection. There are cases,however, where both of these methods are inapplicable because a morerapidmethod of connection and disconnection is required and, secondly,because of the design of the equipment with which these waveguidesections are associated. If the area in which the couplingof the twosections occurs is inaccessible, manual coupling of the waveguidesections cannot be made.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel couplingarrangement for waveguide sections whereby they may be coupled togetherwithout the use of threaded parts on the end portions of these waveguidesections, and provide for coupling together the two waveguide sectionsin an indirect manner and which is also less time consuming than the useof conventional coupling arrangements.

It is a further object to provide a coupling for waveguide sectionswhich has at least one resilient member which can absorb the shock orvibration to which the waveguide sections may be subjected.

A feature of this invention is the provision of a coupling for twowaveguide sections having end portions adapted to be coupled together,which are mounted on first and second members adaptedto be brought andheld together in juxtaposed relation. At least one of these waveguidesections has a resilient portion therein whereby when the first andsecond members are brought together in the juxtaposed relation, pressureis exerted upon the waveguide sections and the resilient reaction of thewave guidesection having the resilient portion forcibly butresilientlyclamps together the end portions of the waveguide sections incoupling engagement.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this inventionwill become more apparent by reference to the following descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation with part broken away of the twowaveguide sections each disposed on its respective member in uncoupledarrangement;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the same waveguide sections andmembers shown in coupled engagement; and

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of two waveguide sections mounted ina typical electronic equipment rack with parts broken away to show thecoupling engagement of the two waveguide sections.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a member 1 on which ismounteda waveguide section 2 having flangelike end portion 3. The waveguidesection 2 is mounted to the member 1 by means of a clamp 4 which isscrewed to the member 1. Disposed opposite to member 1 is a member 5 onwhich is mounted a waveguide section 6. Waveguides 2 and 6 are similarand may be either of the hollow, round or rectangular type, which areapplicable to the circuitry involved. The end portion 7 of waveguidesection 6 has alignment pins 8 disposed on a flange 9. These alignmentpins 8 are receivable in matching holes 8a in the end portion 3 ofwaveguide section 2. In back of the flange 9 is a metal plate 10 towhich it is fastened by welds 10a. A pad of resilient material 11 isbonded to the plate 10. A backing plate 12 is bonded to the rear surfaceof this resilient material 11. The opposite side of the plate 12 isdisposed against the bottom surface 13 of a counterbored orhollowed-outsection 14. A first straight portion 15 of waveguide section6 extends backwards of the flange 9 and the resilient pad 11 through ahole 16 in the member 5. A looped waveguide portion 17 extends laterallyof the first straight portion 15 on the opposite side of the member 5. Asecond straight waveguide portion 18 extends laterally back from thelooped portion 17. Clamping means 19 coupled to the second straightportion 18 anchorswaveguide section 6 to the member 5. The two endportions 3 and 7 of the waveguides 2 and 6 are there-- by disposedopposite each other for coupling engagement when member 5 is moved intoa predetermined juxtaposed relation with respect to member 1.

In Fig. 2 there is shown the effect on the waveguide section 6 whenmembers 1 and 5 are brought together in. predetermined juxtaposedposition thereby coupling together end portions 3 of waveguide section 2and end portion 9 of waveguide section 6. The pressure exerted by thejuxtaposition of members 1 and 5 compresses the resilient pad 11 therebyreducing its effective length between the plates 10 and 12. The firststraight portion 15 of waveguide section 6 is then moved backwards bythe amount that the resilient pad 11 is compressed and by means of thecantilever action of the backwards force applied on the looped portion17. The portion 20 of the loop 17 is deflected backwards about the bend21 which acts as a pivot for the deflection. The loop 17 is alsodeflected backwards about the clamp 19 of the point 19a where the clamp19 anchors the straight section 18. The resilient reaction of thecompressed resilient pad together with the reactive force exerted by thedeflection of the waveguide portion operates to exert a forward force toclamp together the end portions 3 and 9 of the waveguide sections inforcible but resilient coupling engagement. It will be noted that theresilient pad assembly of pads 10 and 12 and the pad 11 is securelyfastened to the flange 9 but is free to move about the surface 13 of thecounterbored hole 14. This is necessary to provide suflicient movementlaterally about the axis 6a of the waveguide section 6 to permit theproper engagement of the waveguide sections when they are broughttogether and the alignment pins 8 are received in the matching alignmentholes of the flange 3. It should be noted that the mating surface offlange 9 should be slightly inclined to compensate for the angulardeflection so that in the coupled position flanges 3 and 9 will beparallel.

Fig. 3 shows a portion of a rack 22 or similar mounting means forelectronic equipment. A chassis assembly 23 containing the electroniccomponents 24 is receivable in the rack 22 and is movable therein alongslides 25.

The front panel 26 of the chassis assembly 23 has handles 27 and alsocontains fasteners 28 of any conventional type which securely keep thechassis assembly 23 in place in the rack when the panel 26 is disposedagainst the surface 29 of the rack 22. In this juxtaposed position theend portions 3 and 7 of the waveguide sections 1 and are in alignedcoupling engagement. In this illustration the waveguide section 5 iscoupled to the electronic components which are mounted on the chassisassembly 23, and the waveguide section 1 is a fixed part which ismounted on the rack 22, so that on the motion of the chassis 23 relativeto the rack 22 the waveguide sections are coupled together when thechassis is moved inwardly of the rack 22 and uncouple when the chassisis moved out. The durorneter of the resilient pad 11 and the deflectionof the loop of the waveguide section 6 may be varied to suit theconditions of the particular equipment in which they are used, and toprovide the correct force for the resilient coupling together of the endportions.

While we have described above the principles of our invention inconnection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood thatmany changes are possible, such for example as mounting the resilientpad 11 and loop 17 on the fixed rack portions rather than on the movablechassis assembly 23, thus this description is made only by way ofexample and not as a limitation to the scope of our invention as setforth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. A coupling for first and second waveguide sections having endportions adapted to be coupled together comprising first and secondmembers one movable relative the other to bring them into juxtaposedrelation, said end portion of said first waveguide section havingalignment holes therein, said end portion of said second waveguidesection having matching alignment pins receivable in said alignmentholes, said second waveguide section having a resilient portion thereinincluding a first straight waveguide portion extending back of said endportion thereof, a looped waveguide portion extending laterally of saidfirst straight portion, a second straight waveguide portion extendinglaterally of said looped portion, means mounting said second waveguidesection to said second member, second means mounting said firstwaveguide section to said first member, whereby said end portions ofsaid first and second waveguide sections are disposed opposite eachother for coupling engagement, means associated with the relative motionof said first and second members to bring said members into juxtaposedrelation and thereby bring said end portions into coupling engagementwhereby pressure is exerted by said juxtaposed relation of said membersupon said resilient portion, urging backwards said first straightportion to cause deflection of said looped portion, said deflectionreactively urging forward said end portion of said second waveguidesection against said end portion of said first waveguide section therebybringing together said end portions in forcible but resilient couplingengagement.

2. A coupling for first and second waveguide sections having endportions adapted to be coupled together comprising first and secondmembers one movable relative the other to bring them into juxtaposedrelation, said end portion of said first waveguide section havingalignment holes therein, said second waveguide section having matchingalignment pins disposed on the front surface'of its end portion andreceivable in said alignment holes, said second waveguide section havinga resilient portion therein including a pad of resilient materialdisposed on the opposite side of said end portion, a first straightwave- .4 guide portion extending back of said end portion and saidresilient pad, a looped waveguide portion extending laterally of saidfirst straight portion, a second straight waveguide portion extendinglaterally of said looped portion, first clamping means coupled to saidsecond straight portion and mounting said second waveguide section tosaid first member whereby said end portion and said resilient pad aredisposed on one side of said first member and said looped portion andsaid second straight portion are disposed on the opposite side of saidfirst member, second clamping means coupled to said first waveguidesection and mounting said second waveguide section to said secondmember, whereby said end portions of said first and second waveguidesections are disposed opposite each other for coupling engagement, meansassociated with the relative motion of said first and second members tobring said members into juxtaposed relation and thereby bring said endportions into coupling engagement whereby pressure is exerted by saidjuxtaposed relation of said members upon said resilient pad therebycompressing said pad and urging backwards said first straight portion tocause deflection of said looped portion, said deflection and saidcompression reactively urging forward said end portion of said secondwaveguide section against said end portion of said first waveguidesection thereby clamping together said end portions in forcible butresilient coupling engagement.

3. In a combination, mounting means having slide means therein, achassis assembly containing electronic equipment, means coupled to saidchassis assembly to coact with said slide means whereby said chassisassembly is movable within said mounting means into predeterminedjuxtaposed relation with said mounting means, means to couple togethersaid chassis assembly and said mounting means in said predeterminedjuxtaposed relation, first and second waveguide sections having endportions adapted to be coupled together, at least one of said waveguidesections having a resilient portion therein comprising a pad ofresilient material and a looped wave guide portion, means mounting saidfirst waveguide section on said mounting means, means mounting saidsecond waveguide section on said chassis assembly, means associated withthe relative motion of said chassis assembly and said mounting meansalong said slide means and adapted to place said Waveguide sections intocoupling engagement and thereby to exert pressure upon said waveguidesections when said chassis assembly and said mounting means are broughttogether into said predetermined juxtaposed relation whereby theresilient reaction of said waveguide section having said resilientportion forcibly but resiliently clamps together said end portions insaid coupling engagement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,069,375 Lane Feb. 2, 1937 2,505,163 Wanner Apr. 25, 1950 2,514,246Knox July 4, 1950 2,609,268 Nye Sept. 2, 1952 2,643,139 Hamilton June23, 1953 2,688,500 Scott Sept. 7, 1954 2,810,114 Shaw Oct. 15, 19572,848,697 Scal Aug. 19, 1958 2,862,728 Druschel Dec. 2, 1958 2,883,632Street Apr. 21, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 896,375 Germany Nov. 12, 1953

